SwitchedOn Australia

From July 1, households across Australia will be able to access the federal government’s long-awaited battery rebate, which will offer 30% off the upfront cost of installing a home battery. It’s a major push to help people make the switch to cleaner energy, reduce power bills, and support a smarter, more resilient grid. But while the rebate is generous, navigating the battery market is anything but simple. How do you choose the right battery? What should you look for in an installer? Can you stack federal and state rebates? And what’s a virtual power plant—and why does your battery need to be part of one to be eligible? To help cut through the noise, the Tesla-driving sparkie from Get Off Gas, Brendan Lang, breaks down the key things to consider before buying a battery, from system sizing and blackout protection to VPP compatibility and why energy efficiency upgrades shouldn’t be forgotten. Whether you're already solar-powered or just starting to explore your options, this episode offers practical guidance on storing solar, taking control of your energy use, and playing a part in the energy transition.

Big changes are coming to home energy in Australia, with a new federal battery subsidy set to boost household storage. But to deliver real value, these batteries must be ‘virtual power plant ready’, able to discharge power to the grid when it’s needed most. New modelling shows that, with the right policies and incentives, this could unlock $14 billion in value, mainly from homes. Without smart settings, households risk being penalised for adopting new tech. Amber Electric is one retailer working to flip the business model of most Australian energy retailers. Instead of profiting from higher energy use, Amber gives customers access to wholesale prices and helps them use and share energy when it's cheapest and greenest. In this rerun of a conversation with CEO and co-founder Dan Adams, we explore how Amber is making it easier for households to support the grid, and get rewarded for it, and why other retailers need to adapt so more consumers can benefit from the energy transition.

While it's often overshadowed by solar panels, wind farms, and big batteries, energy efficiency remains one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to cut emissions and reduce energy bills in our homes. Energy efficiency is the clean energy transition’s unsung hero that lets us do more with less, to use less power to achieve the same results by cutting waste and improving performance. A recent survey reveals what Australians think about home energy use, and although 85% of respondents prioritise energy efficiency, real-life uptake lags well behind. Chris Kerr, the Vice President and CEO of Clipsal by Schneider Electric, discusses the findings of their survey and how smarter design, technology, and education could help bridge the gap between good intentions and real impact.

For the first time, a major energy retailer, Energy Australia, has publicly admitted that its carbon offset product, ‘Go Neutral’, failed to eliminate the harms of burning fossil fuels. Energy Australia was forced to apologise to more than 400,000 customers who were told their gas and electricity usage could be made “carbon neutral” through offsets. The admission came after a two-year legal battle spearheaded not by government regulators, but by a small grassroots group of concerned parents. Nic Seton, the CEO of Parents for Climate, explains how the campaign unfolded, what the settlement means for consumer trust, and why this moment should be a wake-up call for corporate Australia, the carbon offset industry, and the government regulators.

When renewable energy developers first approached the Hay Shire Council in south-west NSW, the council saw both opportunity and risk. With the region designated as a Renewable Energy Zone and major wind projects on the horizon, they knew the energy transition could bring real benefits, but also real community division. Rather than sit back and let events unfold, they took the lead, helping ensure the community would engage with the transition. In partnership with the community, Hay Shire Council developed a proactive, inclusive process that not only kept the community informed, but led to a clear, community-driven set of benefit proposals, ranging from long-term affordable energy to supported housing. Ali McLean, the Council’s Economic Development Manager, shares how local government can shape the future when it steps up early and listens closely.

A critical question emerges as we push to decarbonise, electrify our homes, and modernise the grid: who benefits from the clean energy transition—and who risks being left behind? Shalanda Baker, Vice Provost for Sustainability and Climate Action at the University of Michigan and former Director of Energy Justice and Equity under the Biden administration shares her powerful insights on how the rapid shift to decarbonisation could risk repeating the inequities of the fossil fuel era if not carefully managed. She highlights the disproportionate impact of energy insecurity on low-income and communities of colour in the U.S. and draws parallels to Australia's energy landscape, where rising costs and shifting policies threaten vulnerable communities. With a focus on designing energy systems that are equitable, accessible, and sustainable, Baker urges policymakers to prioritise justice alongside decarbonisation to ensure that the benefits of clean energy flow to those who need it most.

It’s estimated Australians are spending $4 billion more each year on electricity than we need to, simply because we’re not on the best energy plan available to us. But very few of us switch retailers because the process is too tedious and opaque. Frustrated by his own painful experience trying to switch electricity retailers, Matt Peterson has turned his ordeal into a startup business that could help us all save hundreds if not thousands of dollars. Automised Energy is an automated platform that helps Australians cut through the energy comparison chaos using our own data, and newly available legislation, the Consumer Data Right. Unlike many comparison services, Automised Energy isn’t tied to any retailer, which means their recommendations are driven by what's best for us, not a commission.

As Australia heads into the final week of the federal election campaign, we explore groundbreaking new analysis from the Australian National University that identifies which electorates are the best sites for renewables. While renewable developers have long known where the best sites are, local communities have often been left in the dark. In this episode, we dive into how making this data public could shift the balance of power and give regional Australia a real say in the clean energy boom. With billions of investment and jobs on the table it could reshape the future of regional communities. Senior researcher Dr Cheng Cheng reveals that New England — the electorate of outspoken renewables critic Barnaby Joyce — could host enough clean energy to power half the country, unlocking $60 billion in investment and thousands of jobs.

The second of our series spotlighting community independents with expertise in energy as they prepare to contest the upcoming federal election. Nicolette Boele is running for a second time in the Liberal seat of Bradfield on Sydney’s North Shore. Drawing on more than 35 years of experience across climate, finance, and clean energy, Nicolette shares her perspective on Australia’s energy and climate challenges — and why she believes they’re rooted in a broader political failure. She discusses what’s driving her renewed campaign, her vision for a more accountable and transparent political system, and how better climate and energy policy could help tackle Australia’s cost-of-living and housing crises.

The Federal electorate of Calare sits at the heart of Australia’s energy transition. It’s home to one of NSW’s Renewable Energy Zones, a proposed site for the federal Opposition’s nuclear energy plan, and a major agricultural region navigating rising energy costs and climate impacts. Community independent candidate Kate Hook explains why Calare is a microcosm of the national energy debate — and why she believes the electorate has more to gain from the shift to renewables than almost any other. She outlines her plan for fairer access to clean energy, including government-backed loans to help households electrify and reduce energy bills, and argues for a managed transition that supports fossil fuel workers, delivers regional investment, and avoids costly delays, and distractions like nuclear.